Continuous air gage



R. 5. FOX ET AL commuous AIR GAGE March 30, 1948.

Filed Nov. 21, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 30, 1948.

R. 5. FOX El AL CONTINUOUS AIR GAGE Filed Nov. 21, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 .m H Fm Maw w I mam I09 .mw fl Rm B. u

March 30, 1948.

R. 5. FOX ET AL CONTINUOUS AIR GAGE Filed Nov. 21 1945 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 drawings.

I Patented Mar. 30, 1948 commons AIBTGAGE Raymond S. Fox and Charles A. Whitney, West Hartford, Conn, assignors to. Niles-Bement- Pond Company, West'Harttord, Conn, a. corporation of New Jersey Application November 21, ms, Serial No. taaosz Claims. (cl. rs-azs) This invention ,relates to .air gages and more position relative to a strip being'gaged whil particularly to a gage of this type for determining variations in the thickness of strip material while in motion.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a precision gaging device for strip material such as thin metal as it is being passed through the gage after a rolling operation or while it is being wound upon a suitable reel or drum.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gage of the air type having opposed nozzles positioned adjacent opposite surfaces of the material being gaged and disposed in opposed relathat the nozzle may be held resiliently toward 2 an adjustable limiting position.

' Another feature that is advantageous is that air is supplied equally to said nozzles in any adjusted position from a source at'constant pressure and pressure indicating means are provided for the air in the nozzle supply conduits.

And finally it is an object of the invention to provide micrometer means for adjusting the'lim-' iting position to which the upper nozzle may be adjusted for different thicknesses of material.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention may include the features of construction andfioperation set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying In the accompanying drawings annexed hereto and forming a part of this specification, we have shown the invention embodied in an air gage for continuously gaging metal strip material as it is being passed over two parallel rollers prior to being reeled but it will be understood that the invention can be otherwise embodiedand that the drawings are not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims appended to this specification being relied upon for that purpose. 3

In the drawings: j s Figure 1 is a'front elevation of a complete gage made according to the present invention, the figure showing the gaging nozzles in operative passing over parallel guide rollers.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the principal parts shown in Fig. 1."

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken upon the plane 01' line 3-3 in Fig. 1 and shown upon an enlarged scale, and V Fig. 4 is a detail viw of the air connections to the pressure indicator.

In the above-mentioned drawings there has been shown but one embodiment of the invention which is now deemed preferable, but it is. to be understood that changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing fromthe spirit of the invention. i

Briefly, and in its preterredaspect, the lnven tion may include the following principal parts: First, a support having parallel horizontal rolls rotatably mounted'therein over. which the material being gaged may be passed; second, a gage head in the form of a yoke fitting over one edge of the material being gaged and having a gaging nozzle in its lower arm disposed slightly below the plane of the material passing over the rolls and being mounted for limited adjustment;

- third, a nozzle in the upper arm of the head or directly toward and from the first nozzle; fourth;

micrometer means to adjust the position of the .second nozzle toward and from themrst nozzle;

fifth, spring means normally forcing the second nozzle toward the first; and sixth, means to traverse the gage head and parts thereon laterally into and out of engagement relative to the material being gaged.

Referring more in detail to the figures of the drawing, there are supported for rotation upon their axes in a horizontal plane a pair of parallel rolls Ill suitably supported at their opposite ends in bearings l2 on brackets [4 adjustable relative to a support or stand l6. Slidably'movable between these two rolls is a gage head ll. suitable ways 20 being provided on the brackets M for this purpose. A rod 22 extending beyond one side of the brackets l4 permits manual'adjustment .of the gage head It into-operative or inoperative positions relative to the material W the arm 24 and adjustable member 28 to the nozzle 28 permit the admission of fluid such as ber 28 carrying the nozzle 28, as shown in Fig.

3, may be-adjusted a limited distance vertically without disturbing the connection of the conduits from the gage head to the nozzle. This lower arm 24 of the yoke member l8 also may have a guiding plate 32 surrounding and protecting the nozzle 2; and facilitating the admission to its position of the strip W being gazed. I

' Directly opposed to the nozzle 28 above de scribed is a second nozzle 36 disposed in the upper arm or limb 3B of the gage head I8. Preferably, and as'shown in this flgure. the upper nozzle 86 is carried by a member 40 flexibly supported as shown by spaced parallel flexible metal strips 42 connecting adjacent faces of the upper arm 88 and the nozzle carrying member 40. By'this flexible supporting means the nozzle 36 may be adjusted vertically and will always assume a position normal to the plane of the strip W being gaged, each successive position of the upper nozzle being parallel to the other. Conduit 44 extending through the arm 38 and through the gaging member 40 permit air froma common source to pass through the arm 38 to the vertically adjustable member 40 and into the nozzle 36 when the nozzle carrying member is adjusted to any of its operative positions.

termined by variations of the pressure within the nozzle supplying conduits and 44. The gaps between the surfaces of the material and the end surfaces of the nozzles vary as the strip varies from its proper thickness, thus causing variations in the pressure in the conduits.

We claim: g 1. An air gage for continuously gaging strip material while in motion, comprising in combination;'a guide roll over which the material being gaged passes, a nozzle disposed slightly below the plane of the material passing over said roll, a nozzle disposed slightly above the plane of the upper surface of said material, micrometer means to adjust said second nozzle toward and from the first nozzle; conduits for supplying air to said nozzles, and means to indicate the pressure within said conduits adjacent said nozzles. J 2. An air gage for continuously gaging strip material while in motion, comprising in combination a pair of parallel guide rolls over which the material beingga'ged passes. a nozzle disposed slightly below the plane of the lower surface of material passing over said rolls, a nozzle disposed above" the plane of the upper surface of said material, means to adjust said' second nozzle to predetermined parallel positions toward In order to adjust the position of the upper nozzle 38 relative to the surface of thestrip W being gagd, for any thickness of material, there is a fixed abutment 46 provided on the extreme end ofarm 38 engaged by the lower end of the spindle of a micrometer 48. The micrometer 48 is secured rigidly to the vertically adjustable member 40 with its spindle disposed vertically. By adjustment of the, micrometer 48, therefore,

' the upper nozzle carrying member 40 may be' vertically adjusted to different parallel positions over a wide range. To normally force the upper nozzle 36 and its carrying member 40 toward the plane of the strip W being gaged, a spring so is provided, one end of which is attached to the upper arm 38 of the gage head 18 and the opposite end to'a rod extending laterally from the vertically adjustable member 40.

In operation the lower nozzle 28 is adjusted permanently by vertical adjustment of its supporting member 26 to a position a few thousandths of an inch below the plane of the lower surface of the material W being gaged, so that there will be this small constant gap between its end surface and the surface of the strip. The

upper nozzle 363s adjusted slightly above the upper surface of the strip W being gaged, this position being. varied for different thicknesses of strip material W by adjustment of the micromand from the first nozzle, means to indicate the adjustment of said upper nozzle, conduits for supplying air at constant pressure to said conduits, and means to indicate the pressure within said conduits adjacent said nozzles.

,3. An airgage for continuously gaging strip material while in motion, comprising in combi- .nation,.a pair of parallel guide rolls over which the material being gaged passes, a nozzle disposed slightly below the plane of the material passing over said rolls, a nozzle disposed above the plane of said material, flexible means mounting said upper nozzle for movement to difierent parallel positions,.micrometer means to adjust said second nozzle toward and from the first nozzle, conduits for supplying air from a constant pressure source to said nozzles, and means to indicate the pressure within said conduits adjacent'saidnozzles.

4. An air gage for continuously gaging strip material while in motion, comprising in combi ';nation, a pair'bf parallel guide rolls over which the plane of said material, parallel flexible strips for supporting said second nozzle, whereby said second nozzle may be moved to different paraleter spindle 40. In all cases, however, the'adjustment is such that there will (be a slight gap between the upper surface of the strip W being gaged and the outer surface of the nozzle 36.

'" Also the gap between the nozzle endsur-faces and the opposite surfaces of the strip being gaged are so adjusted that they are substantially equal.

In order to determine variations of thickness of the strip as it is being rolled or reeled, there is provided a restricted supply of air or other fluid to the conduits 30 and 44 at constant carefully regulated pressure. In the conduits from this air supply to the nozzles is a pressure gage 50 located conveniently near the gage head l8, the variations in thickness of the strip being delel positions toward and from said first nozzle, micrometer means to adjust said second nozzle toward and from the first nozzle, conduits for supplying air to said nozzles from; a constant pressure source, and means to indicate the pressure within said conduits adjacent said nozzles.

,5. An air gage for continuously gaging strip material while in motion, comprising in combination, a pair of parallel guide rolls over which the material being gaged passes, a nozzle disposed for limited adjustment below the plane of the material passing over said rolls, a nozzle disposed above the plane of said material, flexible supporting means for said second nozzle, whereby said second nozzle may be moved to differ- 'ent parallel positions toward and from said first nozzle, micrometer means to adjust said second nozzle to predetermined positions toward and from the first nozzle, means normally forcing said upper nozzle toward said material and permitting limited movement away from said material, conduits for supplying air to said nozzles from a. constant pressure source, and means to indicate the pressure within said conduits ad- :lacent said nozzles.

RAYMOND S. FOX.

CHARLES A. WHITNEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

